Hi, Just wanted to introduce myself and maybe vent a little. (Well maybe I'll wait a bit before I do that.)
I found I had a large mass in my RUL back on March 24th, finally I got a biopsy last Monday, April 29th, Last Thursday they called me and told me it is malignant. It really wasn't a surprise to me to hear that, I had suspected as much back in February when I had spent the whole month with what I told myself was the flu and possibly light pneumonia or my yearly bout with bronchitis which they always send me home with lots of bed rest and fluids. I guess that I had blocked out the increasing shortness of breath and tiredness that had been increasing over the last 12 months or so, chalked it up to getting old and out of shape.
I turned 50 last year who knows how you should feel or when you should start feeling old.
This is the first time in my whole life I've ever been ill, besides the common cold, flu and other assorted illnesses. Never sick enough to go to the hospital at least. Seldom even bad enough to go to the doctor. So the whole experience is quite new to me.
Although this is my first time being ill, I've been through the whole lung cancer thing twice now, once with my father when he was 52 and then again with my 36 year old sister. I think there is a big hereditary factor in it at least in my fathers side of the family. Pretty much as far back as I can find all the men have died in thier late 40's and early 50's from lung cancer, smokers and non-smokers.
Anyway I was hesitant about Chemo, especially after seeing the effect of it on my father and sister,it seemed as if they were worse off with it rather than feeling better, but then they also had radiation therapy along with it. I am not eligible for radiation as the tumor is too large which may be a good thing for me or a bad thing I don't know yet.
I started Monday on an 80% dosage of Cisplatin and Etopiside, I want to see how the half dose would affect me before I go whole hog and do it. My biggest fear is that it will affect my mind and ability to make decisions. the same reasons I was fearful of the "dreaded" Morphine. I don't want to sleep the rest of my life away. I haven't so far so I have hopes that it wil stay that way. Also I haven't had any of the horrible side effects of the chemo yet except for a little diarrhea, if I feel a cough coming on I run forthe bathroom
Actually though I feel better than I have in a couple of weeks so I am taking things as they come. My biggest problem now is staying hydrated. It seems I am drying out really fast and I am drinking loads of water and kool aid and everything else I can find.
Thanks for letting me talk and best wishes for everyone who is also going through this.
David
